Nut and screw fastening



Oct. 30, 1928. v w. H. PIERCE NUT ANDISGREW FASTNIKNG Filed July 22, 1925 atented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATI-:sl

1,690,078 PATENT oFFICE..

WALTER H, PIERCE, F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CARR FASTENER COMPANY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

NUT AND SCREW FASTENING.

Application led July 22, 1 925. Serial No. 45,281.

This invention aims to provide an iin-` proved nut and screw fastening installation.

In the drawings which illustra-te a preferred embodiment of my invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the complete installation;

Fig. 2 is a. section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, beingpartly in elevation;

Fig. 3 is an elevation view showing the lo nut unit secured to its support;

Fig. 4 is a section of the parts shown in Fig. 2 before the screw is engaged with the nut;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the nut unit; Fig. 6 is a. front elevation of the nut unit; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the nut; and Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the dra-wings, I have shown a plurality of parts secured together by the use of a nut unit initially 'securedfto one part by the resiliency of one part of the unit and a screw passing through the other part and secured to the nut unit as more fully hereinafter described.

The nut unit illustrated in the drawings is particularly useful in connection with securing metal parts together especially when the inner face of the nut unit sup-porting part is inaccessible so that the usual nut could not I0 readil be used. The unit is very strong and durab e and is therefore adapted for use for securing hinges of doors, locks, etc., to supporting parts such as automobile bodies.

In the drawingsthe fastening elements are 5 shown in connection with securing two sheet metal parts together. The inner part 1 is initially prepared for reception of the unit by forming a depression 2 therein having an aperture 3 through the bottom of the de- 40 pression.

. The nut unit includes a nut 4 and a nut holder k5 preferably assembled at the point of manufacture. The holder 5 is pressed from 'a single piece of metal and is provided with a relatively large base portion 6 adapted to lit into the depression 2 in the part 1. A plurality of fingers 7 are pressed from the ase and extend outwardly therefrom to from a resilient head 8 and neck 9, the head being somewhat larger in cross-sectional area than the aperture 3. The outer or free ends of the fingers are curved inwardly from. the headA 8 thereby to form cam surfaces 8a for contact with the screw as hereinafter described. In

assembling the nut unit the nut is placed between t-he fingers 7 and is held in assemblv with the nut holder 5 by a plurality of ears 8b formed at the periphery of the base and bent back over the base to overlie the nut as shown'in Figs. 2, 4 and 6.

Sufficient space is provided between the nut and fingers (Fig. 8) to permit contraction thereof during entrance into or withdrawn from the aperture 3 in the support 1.

rom the above description it will be understood that it is only necessary to snap the head 8 of the unit through the aperture 3 to secure the unit to the support 1 (Fig. 4) so that it cannot fall out of the aperture if the support is thereafter turned upon its side. This is a particularly necessary factor of the invention when the nut unit is secured to the support 1 at a. time previous to the time when it is necessary to secure the part 10 to the part 1. The nut will always be ready for use at any time thereafter without requiring the use of a. tool to hold it while the screw l1 is being engaged therewith.

The base portion 6 of the holder and the depression 2 are provided with rectangular peripheries which cooperate to prevent turning of the holder relative to the support 1 when the base 6 is located in the depression. Also the nut 4 presents lugs l2 which project into the slits between the fingers 7 of the nut holder (Fig. 8)- to prevent rotation of the nut relative to the holder. Thus I have provided cooperating means for holding the parts of the nut unit againstturning movement while the screw 11 is thread ed into the nut 4C.

During the operation of securing the parts l and 10 together the end of the screw 1l passes through the nut and the tapered end 13 thereof engages the cam surfaces 8, which intersect the threaded hole 14 in the nut 4l. As the screwing together operation continues the screw enters between the cam surfaces 8a (Fig. 2) `ind bends or expands the fingers 7 outwardly, as shown in Fig. 2. The screw thereafter back supports the fingers so thatL they cannot contract and separate from the support l while the parts `1 and 10 are secured together.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention it will Abe understood that changes involving omission, substitution, alteration and reversal of parts and even changes in the mod e of operation may be made without vdeparting from sussurri die scope of the invention which is best defined in the following claims.

Claims: y 1. A nut and 'screw fastened installation comprising, in combination, a plurality of parts to be secured together,- a nut unit pass ing into an aperture presented by one of said parts, said nut unit including an initially assembled nut and .nut-holder, the nut having a screw-receiving aperture and the nuteholder having a number of resilient ingers bentv inwardly to intersect the screw receiifing aperture in the nut and a screw for passage through the aperture in the nut to engage said inbent resilient fingers, thereby to expand and baclesupport said nut-holding part to prevent contraction thereof and secure said parts together.

Q. A nut and screw fastened installation comprising, in combination, a plurality of parts to be secured together, a nut unit snapped into an aperture presented by one of said parts, said nut unit vincluding a nut and a resilient. nut holding part, and a screw passing through said nut to engage and expand the resilient portions ot said nut holding part thereby to prevent separation of said nut unit from its supporting part while said parts are secured together.

3. A nut and screw fastened installation comprising, in combination` a plurality ot parts to be secured together, a nut holder presenting a plurality of resilient lingers snapped through au aperture in one of said parts to hold a nut in assembled relation `w1th said part and a screw engaging and back supportmg said fingers to prevent con-- traction thereof when said parts are secured together.

1. A nut and screw fastened installation coniprising, in combination, a plurality of parts to be secured together, a nut holder presenting a plurality of resilient lingers snapped through an aperture in one of said parts to hold a nut in assembled relation with said part and a screw for engagement with the nut to secure said parts together, said lingers presenting inwardly curved portions at their free ends overhanging a screw receiving hole in said nut so as to be expanded by said screw thereby to expand said fingers to prevent separation of the nut holding part from its supporting part while said parts are secured together hy said screw.

A nut and screw fastened installation comprising, in combination, a plurality of parts to he secured together, a nut holder presenting resilient means for holdingr said nut holder in assembled relation with one of `said parts, means for preventin, ,{7 rotation ot the nut holder relative to said part, a screw receiving nut held by said nut. holder. means for preventing relative rotation between the nut and nut holder and a screw for threaded engagement with said nut to secure said parts together, said screw passing through said nut and engaging and expanding said resilient means thereby to prevent separation of the nut holder from its supporting part while said parts are secured together.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WALTER H. PIERCE. 

